Email Threats Lead to Lockdown at Multiple Schools

16-year-old teen was arrested Wednesday and charged with terrorizing

Two schools in Maine were forced to close for multiple days this week after receiving threats.

Schools in Windham went into lockdown Monday after they received email threats and didn't re-open until Thursday.

A 16-year-old teen was arrested Wednesday and charged with terrorizing.

Thornton Academy in Saco was also closed Thursday and Friday after a bomb threat was phoned in to the high school.

Gabrielle Capozzi has siblings at the school and says, "They were definitely shaken up about it."

University of Southern Maine Psychology Professor Bruce Thompson says it's good for parents to talk about what happened with their children and if anxiety is channeled properly, it can be productive.

"If school officials and law enforcement officials leverage this into a learning moment the anxiety can be redirected into student discussion groups," said Thompson.

Thompson also acknowledges that by treating threats so seriously likely causes more anxiety for children.

Superintendent Jeff Porter is responsible for more than 2,000 students in Cumberland and North Yarmouth, Maine, but says when it comes to safety, there's no room for error.

"It's only been two years since Sandy Hook and Newtown, so I think that weighs a lot on people's minds," said Porter.

Porter says each one of his schools has an emergency plan and students and staff are drilled on how to respond. Disrupting school and worrying children and parents is an unfortunate side effect of acting irresponsibly.

"Safety comes first, that's the world we live in," said Porter.
 

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